Ukraine could receive its first Swedish Gripen C/D fighter jets in January or February 2027, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Nov. 10, adding a month-specific estimate to earlier broad timelines for the planned transfer.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine wants the aircraft as soon as possible and plans to assess their performance against Shahed drones. He did not specify how many C/D jets might arrive in that window. His estimate concerns the planned transfer from Sweden’s existing fleet, separate from Ukraine’s purchase of new Gripen E fighters.
Sweden’s government announced a conditional plan in May to transfer up to 16 C/D jets, subject to Ukraine signing an agreement to buy Gripen E/F aircraft. The plan also required parliamentary authorization. Sweden said the package would include advanced ammunition and training and maintenance support, and was intended to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense.
Ukraine and Sweden signed the separate purchase agreement in June. Ukraine’s presidential office said the first 16 C/D fighters were expected in early 2027, while Sweden said initial aircraft could be defending Ukrainian airspace as early as 2027. Neither government specified a month, making Zelenskyy’s January-February estimate more specific than the timelines announced earlier.
The June agreement covers 16 new Gripen E fighters, with deliveries due to begin in early 2029. Ukraine said the purchase would be financed through an EU loan with U.K. support; the package also includes equipment, technical assistance and logistical support.
Sweden said it would need new Gripen E/F aircraft to replace those provided to Ukraine, citing expansion of the Swedish Armed Forces and the security situation. The C/D transfer and the E-model purchase therefore have separate timelines and purposes: military assistance for Ukraine and a new aircraft procurement agreement.
